CHINA: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest June 01-15
Catholics
12.06.2025 – China recognizes Pope Leo XIV’s first bishop appointment
UCAnews – Chinese officials recognized Pope Leo XIV’s appointment of an auxiliary bishop in the province of Fujian, China, the Vatican announced June 11.
It was the pope’s first appointment of a bishop in China since his election May 8.
In accordance with the Vatican-Chinese provisional agreement regarding the appointment of bishops, Pope Leo had named Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan, 73, to be auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou June 5. That appointment was recognized and the bishop was installed June 11, the Vatican said.
11.06.2025 – Vatican approves appointment of auxiliary bishop of Fujian, controversy continues under China-vatican agreement
China Aid – On the morning of June 11, the Diocese of Fuzhou held the installation ceremony for Auxiliary Bishop Lin Yuntuan (Christian name: Joseph). Although the appointment was approved by the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China and confirmed by the Fujian Provincial Commission for Apostolate, most notably, it also received formal approval from the Holy See, reflecting the ongoing dialogue and compromise between the Vatican and Beijing on the issue of bishop appointments.
Falun Gong
13.06.2025 – Blind in one eye, 72-year-old woman serving 8 years for her faith in Falun Gong, previous abuse drove her to mental disorder
Minghui – Chinese officials recognized Pope Leo XIV’s appointment of an auxiliary bishop in the province of Fujian, China, the Vatican announced June 11.
It was the pope’s first appointment of a bishop in China since his election May 8.
In accordance with the Vatican-Chinese provisional agreement regarding the appointment of bishops, Pope Leo had named Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan, 73, to be auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou June 5. That appointment was recognized and the bishop was installed June 11, the Vatican said.
11.05.2025 – Reported in May 2025: Eleven Falun Gong practitioners die as a result of persecution
Minghui – The deaths of 11 more Falun Gong practitioners as a result of the persecution of their faith were confirmed in May 2025.
One death each took place in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2023; three deaths occurred in 2024; and four more between February and May 2025. Due to the Chinese Communist Party’s strict information censorship, the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners cannot always be reported on time, nor is all the information readily available.
The 11 practitioners, five of them women, hailed from six regions. Chongqing, a centrally-controlled municipality, and four provinces (Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Hubei, and Sichuan) each reported two deaths. Jilin Province reported one death. Except for one practitioner whose age at her passing wasn’t known, the other ten were between 53 and 87 when they died. Two of them were in their 50s, one in his 60s, five in their 70s, and two in their 80s.
03.06.2025 – Elderly Falun Gong Practitioner dies in jail for lack of proper medical care
Bitter Winter – In a further blow to religious freedom, Wang Yan, a committed Falun Gong practitioner from Shenyang City in Liaoning Province, died due to insufficient medical care while incarcerated. At 71 years old, she was sentenced to four years in prison in 2022 for her advocacy of Falun Gong. Sadly, she died in Liaoning Women’s Prison on May 9, 2025.
On March 5, 2022, Wang Yan, an elderly woman living by herself, was arrested by officers from the Dongta Police Station in Shenyang City’s Dadong District. The police detained her after witnessing her distribute Falun Gong materials in a residential area. After three days in custody, they levied a fine of 5,000 yuan before releasing her shortly thereafter.
Protestants
09.06.2025 – Sichuan Christian rights activist Chen Yunfei was summoned again, suspected to be caused by June fourth tweets and reposted content.
China Aid – At 3:00 p.m. on June 3, 2025, renowned human rights activist Mr. Chen Yunfei was forcibly summoned by National Security officers from the Pidu District in Chengdu, and officers from the Zhujiang Road Police Station in Xipu Town. He was taken to the police station and subjected to a five-hour interrogation while strapped to a “tiger chair.”
Chen Yunfei’s personal belongings, including his mobile phone and Wi-Fi device, were confiscated immediately upon arrival at the station without any official documentation or a receipt for temporary seizure. Although items such as his backpack were later returned, the phone and Wi-Fi device were finally given back to him 24 hours later, after he had filed three police reports.
09.06.2025 – China, police action hit branches of Zion Church nationwide
Bitter Winter – Beijing Zion Church used to be the largest house church in the city. Despite being raided and banned by authorities in 2018, its members have continued to gather, facing regular arrests and harassment while frequently changing locations to evade police detection. “Bitter Winter” has consistently documented its persecution and resilience.
Branches of Beijing Zion Church have been created in several cities and provinces. On the last days of May, a national crackdown was launched against these Zion Churches, which continues to this day.
07.06.2025 – Chinese pastor Lian Changnian, abused in prison to the point of severe mental decline, is released on bail to receive medical treatment
China Aid – The Xi’an Church of Abundance, under the prominent Chinese house church network “Chinese Gospel Fellowship,” issued a prayer letter on June 5, 2025, revealing that Pastor Lian Changnian, who had been detained for two years and eight months on charges of “fraud” due to his faith, was released on bail and returned home on April 12 of this year. However, due to severe psychological and physical abuse suffered during detention, he has been diagnosed with a mental illness and is currently hospitalized to receive treatment.
06.06.2025 – China strengthens internet management of religious sites, christians face digital divide challenge
China Aid – Amid advanced technological development, internet regulation of religious sites in China is tightening, presenting new challenges for believers. The increased control over digital religious spaces appears to be emerging as a new trend.
According to a May report from the official website of the China Christianity Daily, Church A in East China now requires real-name registration to gain access to sermon audio recordings.
The report stated that in May this year, Church A (name withheld) in East China published a notice via its WeChat public account. In accordance with government policy, believers must register with their real name on the church’s official website in order to access sermon audio shared via WeChat posts.
04.06.2025 – Many locations of China’s Zion Church were raided and church members and pastoral personnel were summoned and detained
China Aid – The Chinese government’s persecution of Christianity appears to be escalating. Following intensified crackdowns in provinces such as Sichuan and Zhejiang, branches of Beijing Zion Church in multiple cities have been raided and harassed over the past week, with a large number of church members being summoned for questioning. These actions have sparked deep concern from the international community over the state of religious freedom in China.
Xie Jiao
05.06.2025 – Shuiyuexing: Another UFO religion repressed as a Xie Jiao
Bitter Winter – “Bitter Winter” reported in 2022 about the growing popularity and police repression of UFO religions in China. The largest group, the Galactic Federation was founded by a college-educated woman named Zheng Hui. In 2015, it was designated a “xie jiao” (prohibited “group spreading heterodox teachings,” sometimes translated as “evil cult”). Zheng was arrested and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Chinese police are now searching across the entire country for members of another UFO group, which goes by various names. Lin Xianzong established the group in Taiwan and introduced it to China through a lecture tour in 2008. It is also found in the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand.
